The present invention relates to a method for operating an elevator, with which a user of the elevator communicates to the elevator via a human-machine interface an order that the elevator executes.
To operate an elevator it is usual to have arranged on each floor, or in the elevator car, an operating panel that serves as a human-machine interface. Provided on the operating panel is a call button for each destination floor. On a panel with a ten-digit keypad, commands for multi-digit floors are entered by combinations of keys. For the elevator control, the target floor selected by the user is a parameter in a permanently programmed sequence of the elevator control for execution of the travel order. The elevator control executes the travel order according to an internal program in which, for example, the car load is read, coincident trips are taken into account, the doors are closed after a certain time, the acceleration, traveling speed and deceleration are determined, and the door is held open for a certain time at the destination floor. For the program, the starting floor and destination floor serve simply as parameters.
A disadvantage of this known elevator control method is that the program is defined at the time when the elevator is developed, after which it can no longer be changed, at least by the user.
The present invention provides a solution to avoiding the disadvantages of the known elevator control method by specifying a method by means of which the functioning of an elevator can be determined when it is used.
The advantages achieved by the present invention are that for the user of the elevator an individual interface can be made in which the orders to be executed by the elevator can be programmed on an external operating terminal with keypad and screen. The user can use the elevator according to his needs. He can, for example, specify different door opening times, which are longer or shorter than the standard. In this way, certain users or groups of users, such as cleaning or maintenance personnel, can be provided with different command sets. A further advantage is that there is great freedom for the user in defining the functioning of the elevator without intervention in the basic functions of the elevator, such as door functions, being necessary. A further advantage is that certain functioning modes such as, for example, car cleaning, or evacuation, can be standardized independent of the elevator installation.